Is the Leatherman Fuse a dud?

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By Gareth Branwyn
Posted 2009/07/09 @ 12:07 am
Category Tools

On the heels of our Toolbox column on knives and multitools comes news of a new tool in the Leatherman family, the Knifeless Fuse. The tool is marketed for “knife-prohibitive situations” and has everything you’d expect on a similar multitool (needlenose/regular pliers, two wire cutters, wire stripper, small/large/Phillips screwdrivers, scissors, file, can/bottle opener, 8â€³ ruler) except for a blade. But as Steven Leckart says on BB Gadgets: “…The thing’s still potentially-lethal and probably won’t get through TSA. So really, I don’t get it.” We don’t either.

Leatherman Fuse [via Toolmonger]

In the Maker Shed

11 Responses to Is the Leatherman Fuse a dud?

Tim on July 9th, 2009 at 12:20 pm said:

Maybe it would be useful in schools and other areas with a “zero tolerance” policy. Would make a great gift for nieces and nephews whose nervous-nelly Mom (aka your sister-in-law) thinks they’re sure to cut off their own heads if exposed to anything sharper than a butter knife.

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- Marrz on July 9th, 2009 at 1:08 pm said:
  
  yah, when I read ‘knife-prohibitive situations’ I was thinking more along the lines of those who might work in secure government buildings (like court houses) but schools are another good example, that said if I worked in such a building I’d be more likely to buy a normal fuse and just leave it in my car
  
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Nate MC on July 9th, 2009 at 12:43 pm said:

Maybe this is geared towards the UK market?

I don’t think the knife on a leatherman was over 3 inches, but I don’t own one to check…

“It is an offence for any person, without lawful authority or good reason, to have with him in a public place, any article which has a blade or is sharply pointed except for a folding pocket-knife which has a cutting edge to its blade not exceeding 3 inches.” [CJA 1988 section 139(1)]

this would also probably make it legal to carry for those under 18.

“It is an offence for any person to sell to a person under the age of 18 any knife, knife blade, razor blade, axe or any other article which has a blade or is sharply pointed and which is made or adapted for causing injury to the person.” [CJA 1988 section 141A]

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- Dan Lane on July 9th, 2009 at 3:52 pm said:
  
  You aren’t allowed to carry any knife with a locking blade or one with a blade length greater than 3 inches unless you can justify carrying it. I used to always carry my Leatherman Charge which has a locking blade of almost exactly 3 inches (it’s ever so slightly shorter) until I was very nearly arrested for carrying it (I could justify it on this occasion).
  
  It annoys the hell out of me that I can’t carry such a useful tool with me wherever I go so I would definitely look at getting one of these to carry everyday, it’s a shame that this is a Wave rather than a Charge though!
  
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Chris on July 9th, 2009 at 12:47 pm said:

This tool would certainly be much more in-line with my company’s official security policies, although other models of Leatherman seems to receive informal exceptions in practice.

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hanzie on July 9th, 2009 at 12:58 pm said:

The scissors still flunk TSA, so far as I recall. (your mileage may vary.)

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isnoop.myopenid.com on July 9th, 2009 at 1:25 pm said:

Unless they’ve changed the ruling, even a phillips screwdriver is banned on flights because it can be used to do nefarious things like… I don’t know… unscrewing the wings.

I agree that this tool isn’t designed to be flight-friendly in the least. It’s more useful for folks who want a multi-tool at work or school where knives are banned.

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n3rd1 on July 9th, 2009 at 1:54 pm said:

This would probably pass off as ok in most schools around here where as knife included version would not. I doubt they were making this with any intention of getting around TSA. -N

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Dustbuster on July 9th, 2009 at 4:11 pm said:

No Leatherman of any kind is getting into the cabin of a US airplane except by accident (as mine has on the few occasions I forgot it was on my keychain). I had an airport security guy tell me I couldn’t take a wooden serving platter(a gift)into the cabin because it could be used as a club. It was a fairly hefty lump of hardwood (about two foot long, a half foot wide and half inch thick), but it was wrapped in bubble-wrap and not a very useful weapon. I suggested that if I was capable of taking over a plane using a serving platter, I could probably do it without one, but I didn’t receive a sympathetic hearing.

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No one at all on July 9th, 2009 at 4:34 pm said:

Many, many workplaces have insane weapon policies these days.

Of my last five employers, four had a formal written policy banning ‘weapons of any kind’ and one was a secure facility that banned nearly everything from coming in.

That’s not to say I stopped carrying a knife or Leatherman; All of the jobs were in a role where I needed tools from time to time. They were all smart enough to have a ‘tools of the trade’ provision in their policy, but to comply could be a headache.

One place had me submit an ‘exhaustive written description of all ‘dangerous’ tools I could possibly be using/carrying’ to HR. Another flipped out when I bought power loads for the company-owned fastener gun. I made the mistake of submitting the receipt for reimbursement, and they wanted to know what exactly a ‘Remington #927xxxx’ was.

But what if you happen to be in sales, or software engineering, with no reason to carry a ‘dangerous weapon’? Well, you can now grab a Fuze instead and save yourself the hassle of dealing with red tape.

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Ole T on July 10th, 2009 at 1:33 am said:

Here in Norway, carrying a standard leatherman in public is illegal. There are some hunters versions out there that can be used (really short blades), but they usually don’t have pliers….

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